NASCAR has adjusted the way the starting lineup will be set for most Cup Series races this coming season.
For time trials in 2024, the field will continue to be split into two groups, with the fastest five drivers from each group advancing into a pole shootout. That remains unchanged. What is different, however, is how positions 11-40 will be set.
Instead of positions 11-40 being set by overall fastest times from both sessions, the cars that do not advance from Group A will be sorted into place on the outside rows only. In other words, they will be starting positions 12, 14, 16, etc. Those who do not advance from Group B will be sorted into place on the inside rows only. In other words, they will be starting positions 13, 15, 17, etc.
The Daytona 500 will continue to utilize single car time trials, with the fastest 10 advancing into a pole shootout, and the twin 150s to set the starting lineup for positions 3-40. Those who qualify first and second automatically earn front row starting spots in the Great American Race.
For other superspeedways, the field will not be split into group, but there will be two rounds with the fastest 10 drivers advancing into the pole shootout and those drivers again time trialing for the pole.
NASCAR landed on this format based on feedback from the industry. Track conditions can change drastically from one round to the next so this allows teams to only race amongst those in their group as opposed to those from the other. Tracks often get faster once rubber gets laid down so the teams that go out in Group B previously had an advantage over those in Group A.
In simpler terms, this is a fairer format.
“We looked at this a lot last year and decided after talking to the teams, fans, media that this change might help us,” said NASCAR Cup Series director Brad Moran.
How drivers land in each group will continue to be decided by a performance metric from the previous race — 15 percent of a fastest lap time position, 25 percent of the driver’s final race finish position, 25 percent of the owner’s final race finish position and 35 percent of the owner points position.
Any vehicles entered with a different driver for the event than the previous race, per the rule book, will have its driver-based numbers (fastest lap and finish position) set at 41. Driver metrics are not transferable to another vehicle.
Also new for this season is that NASCAR is mandating just one attempt to qualify. If a driver spins out, they are done. If there are circumstances where another vehicle creates an issue for a car on track, an exception will be made again in the interest of fairness
Matt Weaver is a Motorsports Insider for Sportsnaut. Follow him on Twitter.